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The SunPost 2008 Best Of South Florida
Best of our Advertisers / EDITORS' CHOICE
ADVERTORIAL
Best Quiet Hotel/Apartments in
South Beach 635 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
305-672-0009
BEST MIAMI CITY TOUR Miami Tour Company 1521 Alton Road, Suite 233, Miami Beach 305-260-6855 www.miamitourcompany.com Miami Tour Company tours are one-of-a-kind as they are the only company to offer a professionally narrated tour of Miami in six different languages so that participants don’t miss a thing. Visitors get to experience Miami’s most interesting neighborhoods while learning about the city’s history and seeing homes of the rich and famous. They offer a professionally recorded narration in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian and Japanese. The multilingual tour was written by a team of local travel writers who tell the vivid story of Miami and Miami Beach’s rich history through the eyes, ears and memories of locals. The tour contains hundreds of interesting landmarks and weird stories that only the knowledge and experience of a native can offer.
BEST LOCAL COMMUNITY GUIDEThe Great Gables Guide, Quantum Leap Network, Inc. P.O. Box 144353, Coral Gables 305-443-7973 www.greatgables.com This company’s guide to the city of Coral Gables contains essential information for locals and visitors alike. This unique pocket guide features extensive listings of restaurants, shops and boutiques, art galleries, theaters, historical sites, parks, hotels, banks and hundreds of downtown firms. The guide is conveniently designed to fit in your pocket or purse, and is an up-to-date resource for discovering the very best of the City Beautiful. The Great Gables Guide is published seasonally and updated regularly to ensure that the information is accurate. It also has a great Web site.
BEST LOCAL TRIP-PLANNING WEB SITEMiamiBeach411.com 305-754-2206
MiamiBeach411.com is
a community Web site that provides advice and support
BEST SPORTING EVENTSony Ericsson Open Offices, 150 Alhambra Circle, Suite 825, Coral Gables 305-461-9281 www.sonyericssonopen.com 2008 marked another record-breaking year for the Sony Ericsson Open. The tournament logged 10 session sellouts, set 10 session attendance records and shattered its all-time attendance record with 297,011 guests at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park. The April 6 men’s final sold out on March 28, quicker than for any men’s final in tournament history. In its 24-year history, the Sony Ericsson Open has become one of the most glamorous events on tour. This year’s attendees were a who’s who of the entertainment and sports industries. Combined with a commitment to the community and to charitable causes, the Sony Ericsson Open is the crown jewel of local sporting events.
BEST 24/7 GAMBLINGMiccosukee Resort and Gaming 500 S.W. 177th Ave., Miami 877-242-6464 www.miccosukee.com The gaming area is open 24 hours a day and allows guests to select from a variety of games in an energizing atmosphere. Miccosukee Resort and Gaming offers more than 1,800 video machines, including those of low denomination, in both smoking and two new nonsmoking sections. For bingo players, there are more than 1,000 seats in the bingo hall and sessions including the early bird at 10 a.m., daily sessions from noon to 12:30 a.m. and an insomnia session at 1 a.m. The poker room accommodates 32 poker tables, where guests can play Seven-Card Stud, Texas Hold ’Em and Omaha Hi-Lo. To generate even more excitement, the casino features gaming promotions throughout the year, which include cash and diamond ring giveaways.
Best BLACKJACK Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood 866-502-PLAY www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com This South Florida getaway has rapidly become a favorite for regional guests and those from out of town. This 86-acre resort is easily accessible from Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and features a colossal 130,000-square-foot casino, a lush lagoon tropical pool area with thrilling theme park-style water slides and much, much more. It’s an ideal site for a near-home vacation, long weekend or visit, and a new South Florida standard. Of course, we can’t leave out the best thing about the place — it’s the only casino in the state with Vegas-style blackjack tables. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and spend some money.
BEST YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MIXERMiami Science Museum 3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami 305-646-4200 www.miamisci.org As the Miami Science Museum continues to lay the groundwork for a new state-of-the-art facility with new and exciting programming, its happy hour series was developed in an attempt to engage South Florida young professionals. The series, @MiaSci, began in January and is growing at a steady pace. It’s a happy hour with substance that offers young professionals, science aficionados, art enthusiasts and other 21- to 45-year-olds the opportunity to network in a nontraditional setting. The focus of each happy hour is modified to include a short arts program, from dance and poetry to the visual and culinary arts. To date, it has held events dedicated to dance, art, fashion and music, as well as an experience-driven event titled Play, which offered patrons the opportunity to experience the museum as they once did as children. Overall, the event has drawn more than 1,000 new faces to the museum grounds, each time charging an admission that provides an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, access to exhibits and the sounds of renowned South Florida DJs.
BEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENTJungle Island 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami 305-400-7000 Family entertainment at its best, Jungle Island (formerly Parrot Jungle Island) is a multi-event destination open 365 days a year. The park entertains all ages with three spectacular animals shows daily. Visitors will encounter exotic creatures such as Hank, the 2,000-pound “crocosaurus”; Peanut and Pumpkin, the twin orangutans; red kangaroos; and more. For fun, zip down the Hippo, a 168-foot slide on a private beach. Tours and private VIP safaris are also available. Companies and individuals can hold meetings, special events or parties in the jungle at shaded outdoor pavilions or in the air-conditioned Treetop Ballroom overlooking Miami’s skyline. Jungle Island can accommodate groups large or small with more than 15,000 square feet of flexible space.
BEST PROVIDER OF FAMILY FUNMiami Seaquarium 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne 305-361-5705 www.miamiseaquarium.com For more than 60 years, Miami Seaquarium residents have been splashing Miamians and visitors from its tanks and lagoons at this Key Biscayne landmark. On any given day, visitors can enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the most beautiful underwater creatures in the world. Guests can swim with the dolphins — an experience unlike in any other in the city. The 38-acre park offers plenty of summer fun and programming, and always features fantastic animal shows and children’s contests and activities. The Seaquarium is a world leader in the study and medical treatment of the endangered Florida manatee, and works to rescue and rehabilitate sick and wounded animals.
THE BEST URBAN GREEN SPACEMiami Beach Botanical Garden 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach 305-673-7256 www.mbgarden.org This 4.5-acre botanical garden is a showcase for orchids, tropical plants and trees, a Japanese garden and living wall vertical landscape. Cultural programs abound and the site is perfect for memorable events.
BEST INDOOR SOCCER STADIUMMidtown Stadium Indoor Soccer 370 N.W. 24th St., Miami 786-253-2888 www.midtownindoorsoccer.com Midtown Stadium offers 5 vs. 5 challenges, indoor soccer camps, leagues, tournaments and corporate events. Bring your company to compete in a friendly soccer match. Have your game recorded. There’s stadium seating for spectators, and you can watch all major games on our 15-foot HDTV. Play soccer while some of South Florida’s hottest DJs spin. Mini-bar and futbol open 24/7.
BEST NEW GREEN PROJECTMiami Science Museum 3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami 305-646-4200 www.miamisci.org The Miami Science Museum will build a new museum in Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami, scheduled to open in the next three years. Its chosen architects, Grimshaw from London, are experts in building “green” sustainable buildings. The new museum will be silver LEED-certified.
BEST HOTEL HOME AWAY FROM HOMEConrad Miami 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami 305-503-6500 www.conradmiami.com This business traveler-oriented hotel in Brickell doesn’t focus on the ephemeral and showy, but rather on the comforts and amenities needed by its loyal, repeat and often long-term guests. With 36 floors and 203 rooms, it is both attractive and comfortable. The Conrad prides itself on being a home away from home for travelers that provides the best, most relaxing environment in the heart of the scenic business district. That focus prompts repeat visits by loyal guests from all over the world.
BEST SITE FOR A STAYCATIONThe Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa 3555 S. Ocean Drive, Hollywood 888-627-9057 www.diplomatresort.com With fuel prices driving up the cost of, well, just about everything, more and more people are keeping their vacations close to home. Staycations are becoming increasingly popular, and the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa is an easily accessible site for a terrific stay-near-home break. The world-class beachfront resort offers year-round Florida discounts, family programming, on-site dining, water sports and much, much more.
BEST CONVENTION-STYLE HOTEL Loews Hotel 1601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach 305-604-1601 www.loewshotels.com/en/Hotels/Miami-Beach-Hotel/Overview.aspx Situated right on the beach, the Loews Hotel has 790 guest rooms to choose from, including 57 luxury suites and two presidential suites. And during a period when several beach resorts have been closed for renovations, Loews has consistently been there as one of the few places for travelers who prefer large, convention-style hotels to the boutique facilities now dominating South Beach. There is an oceanfront swimming pool, Jacuzzi, private cabanas, six restaurants and bars (including the fabulous Emeril’s South Beach), water sports concessions, concierge service and full valet service. The Loews is also the perfect place for weddings, parties and, with 65,000 square feet of meeting room space for groups numbering up to 3,000, large corporate conventions.
Best AFFORDABLE LUXURY HOTELThe Catalina Hotel & Beach Club 1732 Collins Ave., Miami Beach 305-674-1160 www.catalinahotel.com The Catalina Hotel & Beach Club offers affordable luxury and great value in a stylish and sophisticated environment. This hotel is much more than a place to sleep, although care has been taken to ensure comfort. Guest rooms are equipped with Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattresses, 300-thread count Belgian sheets, and goose down comforters and pillows. All rooms are white with colorful accents and luxurious white bathrooms with oversized bath towels and cotton pique bathrobes. Suites have upgraded bathrooms, plasma TVs, and enough room to accommodate the hotel’s in-house masseuse. Luxury is right at your fingertips as you enjoy this perfect getaway.
BEST WAY TO HELP THOSE IN NEEDDaily Bread Food Bank 5850 N.W. 32nd Ave., Miami 305-474-8805 www.dailybread.org Last year, the nonprofit Daily Bread Food Bank provided more than 18 million pounds of food to 800 different charitable feeding programs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. The organization doesn’t just feed the needy; it empowers other South Florida nonprofits to do the same by providing them with food and other grocery products, and by engaging the community to fight hunger and poverty. Daily Bread is the South Florida affiliate of America’s Second Harvest, a member of the Florida Association of Food Banks and the largest food bank in Florida. Founded in 1981, Daily Bread operates on a very simple principle: reduce hunger by reducing waste. Twenty percent of all food produced in the United States goes to waste. Through Daily Bread’s Back Pack Program, the first of its kind in the state, needy children are given a backpack full of nutritious, healthy foods each Friday. These days, the program’s mission has grown, and it helps more families and individuals than ever before. The food bank also participates in numerous community events, including the National Letter Carrier Food Drive, The Great American Bake Sale and Miami’s Taste of the Nation.
BEST WAY TO SUPPORT ALL PEOPLE OF ISRAELAmerican Friends of Magen David Adom 2100 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Suite 205, Hallandale Beach 800-626-0046 www.afmda.org This organization supports the lifesaving efforts of Magen David Adom in Israel and advocates for MDA in the United States. MDA is Israel’s only government-mandated ambulance and emergency medical responder, serving as Israel’s second line of defense. A team of 1,500 professionals and 12,000 trained volunteers provides Israel with pre-hospital emergency medical needs 24-7. The MDA National Blood Services Center provides 100 percent of the blood requirements of the Israel Defense Forces and 97 percent of the blood needs of Israel’s hospitals and the general population. MDA’s fleet of 700 ambulances and mobile intensive care units travel more than 6.75 million miles and care for more than 700,000 patients each year. MDA operates from more than 100 emergency medical stations and 11 dispatch stations in communities throughout Israel, many of which AFMDA is now working to renovate, expand and rebuild.
BEST SCHOOL OF DEFENSEDarren Buckner’s Martial Arts Academy 529 Arthur Godfrey Road, Miami Beach 305-672-1350 At Darren Buckner’s certified martial arts school, you are guaranteed to have the best instructors and the best education in Karate for Kids, Taekwondo for Adults and Krav Maga. When you train with the best, you can become your best. Let them help you achieve your goals. Try a no-obligation martial arts class today.
BEST WAY TO BECOME A BARTENDERABC Bartending Schools 7329 W. Flagler St., Miami; 901 Alton Road, Miami Beach 305-267-1446 www.abcbartending.com If you can arrive to class on time, record no more than two absences and have a neat, professional appearance, ABC Bartending Schools can not only help you mix a proper drink, but also hook you up with employment. Each classroom is set up like a lounge, equipped with bars, bar stools, sinks, glasses, mixing equipment, bottles, cash registers and other bartending tools. Those who manage to pass the 40-hour, two-week course will be on-call with ABC’s catering service, Advance Hospitality Services Inc., earning between $10 and $15 an hour plus tips.
BEST HISPANIC TELEVISION PERSONALITY Alexis Valdes Spanish Broadcasting System, 2601 S. Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove 305-644-4800 www.megatv.com Alexis Valdes, one of the most popular and admired figures of his time, is the host of Mega TV’s Esta Noche Tu Night, which debuted on January 28 on WSBS Channel 22 in Miami and on DirecTV Mas in the rest of the country. Valdes’ show has consistently ranked third, slightly behind its competitors from larger networks. He has an extensive career in film, with directing and writing credits for his most recent project, A King in Havana, which was nominated for a Spanish Film Festival of Málaga award in 2005. From 2001 to 2005, Valdes starred in such hit films as Clara and Elena (2001), The Gold of Moscow (2003), 90 Miles (2005), The Century of Lights (1991) and María Antonia (1990).
BEST THIRD-GENERATION SPIRITUALISTPsychic Doreena 3160 S. LeJeune Road, Coral Gables 803-316-3980 www.psychicdoreena.com Doreena Adams’ gift of heightened insight and intuition has been part of her everyday life for years. Adams is a third-generation spiritualist — both her mother and grandmother had talent, and her mother is still in business today. For 10 years now, Adams has been a professional in the field, specializing in astrology, palmistry and divination, tarot and more. She consults with clients in her Coral Gables office, but also works with others over the phone. Her clients represent a cross-section of South Florida’s multicultural population — young and old, male and female, from all cultural and social backgrounds. If you need to relieve stress and tension, seek guidance from Doreena.
BEST HISTORIC INSTITUTION OF FAITHTemple Emanu-El 1701 Washington Ave., Miami Beach 305-538-2503 www.tesobe.org Miami Beach landmark Temple Emanu-El celebrates its 70-year commitment to spiritual, educational, social and community enrichment in Miami Beach. Temple Emanu-El is a community icon that has grown and evolved to reflect the changes in Miami Beach while remaining true to its founding spirit.
BEST FOCAL POINT OF JEWISH LIFE, AVENTURA Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center 20400 N.E. 30th Ave., Aventura 305-935-0666 www.atjc.org Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center is the focal point of Jewish Life, serving as a house of worship with inspiring, relevant and meaningful services from Shabbat to holidays. It is a house of assembly with an outstanding cultural series and scholar-in-residence, and a house of learning that strengthens Jewish identity. It instills love of Jewish heritage and tradition in the hearts and minds of the children at the Tauber Academy Early Childhood Center, Sunday School/Religious School, Bar Mitzvah Programs and the Adult Education Melton Program.
BEST COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN’S LEARNINGAdvanced Educational Systems (Huntington Learning Center) 19072 N.E. 29th Ave., Aventura 305-792-2536 www.huntingtonlearningcenter.com Huntington Learning Center is only successful because its students are. Founded in 1977, the center has served America’s students and families longer than any other tutoring provider. It helps students ages 5 to 17 achieve remarkable improvements in their grades, test scores and self-esteem. The success of the program lies in the one-to-one attention devoted to every child and the expertise of its caring, certified teachers.
BEST EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUMTauber Academy Early Childhood Center 20400 N.E. 30th Ave., Aventura 305-931-0010 www.tauberacademy.com Tauber Academy Early Childhood Center is accredited by the National Association of Education for Young Children and the Association of Independent Schools of Florida. It has a state-of-the-art facility, which includes an adventure playground, and a curriculum that makes its program the perfect beginning for a child’s academic journey through life. Administrators and teachers are trained with a core knowledge curriculum based on scientific research about how young children learn that focuses on identifying specific goals in all areas of learning, setting high expectations and teaching specific content knowledge and skills. Tauber also offers Chalav U’Dvash, a total immersion Hebrew program that exposes the children to spoken Hebrew for 10-20 minutes a day (depending on their ages). Its physical education program offers Playball, a program that introduces social skills through sports. After-school enrichment programs are age-appropriate and include soccer, flag football, cooking, art, sewing, silly science and Mindlab, a series of games designed to tap into the child’s critical thinking skills. Music Mommy and Me enhances musical appreciation and encourages involvement of both parents and children. Through the Parent Network, parents are actively involved in the education of their children, with a strong partnership between the school and the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center.
BEST SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL ORGANIZATIONDeveloping Minds Foundation 407 Lincoln Road, Suite 8R, Miami Beach 305-205-0595 www.developingmindsfoundation.org After climbing the corporate ladder for 10 years, Philippe Houdard left his executive position with a successful technology company to pursue his dream of building schools in Latin America. Today, the Developing Minds Foundation helps educate thousands of children in the Southern Hemisphere. The South Florida-based nonprofit organization builds schools and supports education projects in areas of Latin America affected by violence and poverty. Founded in 2006, the Miami Beach group now has 10 projects under way in some of the region’s most violent areas, including computer/technology schools that serve 300 students in City of God and 100 students in Rio de Janeiro’s Rocinha favela (slum), as well as literacy projects in Colombian mountain villages affected by civil conflict. The Developing Minds Foundation employs the best practices of the private sector to ensure maximum results. It believes that by using the same rigor and discipline found in the competitive field of business, the organization provides the greatest return to donors, who are treated like shareholders. In this case, the return is not measured financially, but in human potential — an approach that makes Developing Minds a leading South Florida organization.
BEST COLLEGE OF ENGINEERINGFlorida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing 10555 W. Flagler St., Miami 305-348-6978 www.eng.fiu.edu FIU is one of the 25 largest universities in the United States and ranks as a Research University in the High Research Activity category of the Carnegie Foundation’s prestigious classification system. Research is an integral part of the College of Engineering and Computing’s success. The college provides outstanding opportunities for graduate students and embeds significant research experience in its undergraduate curriculum. It works with more than 40 research centers, institutes and laboratories, including the Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility, the first centralized facility of its kind in Florida. The Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility at Florida International University is an open-access initiative in support of nano-scale devices, systems and materials research that encompasses a broad range of technologies and capabilities. The facility provides nanofabrication, analytical instrumentation, materials characterization and process-development laboratories for students, faculty and industrial researchers. This is just one aspect of the tremendous university, a stalwart community institution.
BEST SMALL-CITY MAYORJoseph S. Geller, North Bay Village Many small cities and communities have suffered from overdevelopment, high taxation and fees, congestion, inappropriate development and other quality-of-life challenges. North Bay Village, however, has managed growth with aplomb and retained its scenic beauty, neighborhood feel and quality services. For that, Mayor Joseph S. Geller deserves much of the credit. Geller, an attorney who has been involved in numerous high-profile cases, was a community leader in Miami-Dade County long before he took office. A resident of North Bay Village for 24 years, Geller was elected as mayor in November 2004 and re-elected without opposition in November 2006. As mayor, he has emphasized managed growth, a restructured planning process, public safety and government transparency. (He previously served as an interim City Attorney in 2003.) Now in his second term, Geller is tremendously popular in North Bay Village and is respected countywide for his dedication to South Florida residents. As Geller prepares to leave his post to run for the District 106 seat in the state House of Representatives in November, he leaves behind a beautiful legacy.
BEST PUBLIC INSURANCE ADJUSTEREast Coast Public Adjusters 224 Palermo Ave., Coral Gables 305-441-0882 www.ecpaclaims.com During tough economic times, it helps to have the best, most experienced and easy-to-deal-with professionals on your side. That is the case with East Coast Public Adjusters. They have more than 20 years of experience as claims adjusters and the requisite approach to provide customers with the best possible assistance.
BEST ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITYBay Oaks: A Historic Retirement Residence 435 N.E. 34th St., Miami 305-573-4337 www.bayoakshome.com The hand-carved wooden sign beneath the venerable oak on Northeast 34th Street signals that you have arrived at your destination. Enter the garden courtyard and you will be greeted by the sound of a running fountain and the sight of squirrels and parrots competing for the bird feeder. At Bay Oaks, attention to detail is its priority. With 61 years of experience, it has perfected the art of caring for its residents. The original concept of a bed-and-breakfast, established as a nonprofit in 1947, continues with the décor — antique furnishings in each of the 36 rooms and the community room. The dining room serves restaurant-quality meals, most of them organic, including eggs from resident hens. Many activities are included, such as yoga, shopping and theater, and the excellent staff is available 24 hours every day. Bay Oaks offers something that is unique in assisted-living facilities: a historic residence that is truly home. |
